Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Fenwick.
Hi Rebecca, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
You could say my path into historic preservation was almost destined. I grew up in North Carolina, the daughter of a preservation architect and hobby genealogist. I was always encouraged to observe the world around me and respect the stories of those who came before us. So when I discovered the historic preservation program at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia, I was immediately drawn to it. That passion led me to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Kentucky. After, I moved to Illinois where I served as a preservationist for a municipality. Two years later, I landed in Savannah, a place that has felt meant for me ever since. In addition to my love of history, I enjoy dancing with Salsa Savannah, where I met my husband 10 years ago.
After my arrival to Savannah, I worked at a local architecture firm for five years, where I managed historic rehabilitation projects and helped secure several preservation planning contracts. During that time, I gained valuable experience navigating the balance between honoring historic character and supporting thoughtful growth. When one of my most respected colleagues decided to step away from her role at the Savannah MPC, I saw an opportunity. Together we founded Ethos Preservation in 2019. We haven’t looked back since.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. Preservation work can be complex and, at times, challenging because protecting historic places and narratives often intersects with how communities grow and evolve. Change is inevitable, and part of the work is thoughtfully navigating how preservation fits within change rather than standing in opposition to it.
One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to effectively make the case for preservation to a variety of audiences. Refining how we communicate as preservationists is essential. It requires carefully considering who is in the room, the desired outcomes, and broader community goals. Successful projects depend on marrying preservation best practices with client needs and long-term community vision.
I’ve learned that clarity and respect are essential. Presenting information in a way that is straightforward and without condescension opens the door to meaningful dialogue. Often, those conversations become opportunities to educate others about what preservation truly is and why it matters.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Ethos Preservation is a historic preservation consulting firm grounded in our guiding philosophy: Preservation with Purpose. As a four-person team, our work reflects our individual expertise and talents, allowing us to offer a wide variety of services that are collaborative and highly personalized.
At the heart of our brand is a simple belief: historic buildings are community assets. Behind every building is a story, and when thoughtfully preserved, those buildings and stories can be transformed into capital, whether monetary, cultural, or community oriented capital. We work alongside our clients to help bring their vision, their own ethos, to life.
Our clients range from municipalities and nonprofit organizations to community groups, small-scale developers, and homeowners. On a broader scale, we assist communities in managing historic resources through the development of preservation ordinances, historic districts, design guidelines, trainings, and comprehensive preservation plans. On a project-specific level, we said in building reuse visioning and the preparation of certificates of appropriateness, National Register nominations, building histories, and historic tax credit and grant applications. We also partner closely with architects and contractors to guide rehabilitation projects, ensuring preservation goals are clearly understood and realized. One of my biggest professional honors, managing the restoration of Savannah City Hall, is a great example of this project type. We also have a passion for underrepresented stories and the expansion of our collective narrative to tell a more full story of America. The recent publication of Georgia’s Full Story, a users guide to listing places of African American significance, speaks to this focus.
We often summarize our services as: consult, plan, apply, fund, preserve. What sets us apart is our ability to provide technical expertise alongside storytelling and strategy. We are just as comfortable drafting policy as we are uncovering the layered history of a single building. We are most proud of the trust we’ve built with the clients we serve and our reputation for thoughtful, community-oriented work.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
At the core of how I operate professionally is an understanding that success requires more than skill and expertise. It also demands respect, compassion, and genuine consideration for others. Technical knowledge will take you far, but the way you treat people ultimately carries equal weight.
At the end of the day, how you approach and bring humanity into your work approach drives long term outcomes. Approaching professional interactions as relationships changes everything. When you take the time to understand others’ needs and expectations, you build trust, which is essential to everything.
Personally and in business, I’ve found that this mindset creates a fuller, more meaningful journey, and as a result, clients and colleagues often become friends, collaborators, and long-term business partners.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ethospreservation.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/ethospreservation
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/ethospreservation
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ethos-preservation
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ethospreservation
